Review: Jonathan Edwards: A Life

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Cover image of "Jonathan Edwards: A Life" by George M. Marsden

Jonathan Edwards: A Life

Jonathan Edwards: A Life, George M. Marsden. Yale University Press (ISBN: 9780300105964) 2004.

Summary: A biography that features the thought, cultural and religious context, revivals, and ministry among Native Americans.

Many who hear the name of Jonathan Edwards never get beyond one lurid passage in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” one of the thousands of sermons Edwards preached. Sadly, because they haven’t even read the whole of that sermon, they fail to grasp that the theme is actually the saving mercy of God. Even less, they fail to grasp what a profound thinker Edwards was, perhaps one of the greatest the United States has produced. However, this Bancroft Award-winning biography more than amply redresses the balance for anyone who wishes to understand Edwards’ contribution to the cultural and religious history of New England and the what would eventually become the United States.

Rather than discuss the outline of Edwards’ life, with which this biography deals in careful detail, I want to discuss some of the distinctive insights I found in its pages. Whereas we might think of Edwards as a severe person, one of the things I realized was his absolute delight in God and his world. As he wrote in one of his journals, he believed the Creator made all things for “the communication of happiness” to his creatures. This insight was reflected in his own devotional life and contemplative walks. Likewise, it makes sense both of his love of natural science and his passion that his people would be on fire with the love of God.

I was also struck by the importance to Edwards’ career of powerful families who were for many years his patrons and then adversaries. Two families were especially important: the Stoddard and Williams families. Solomon Stoddard preceded Edwards as pastor of the Northampton church and was Edwards grandfather. The invitation to join Stoddard late in his life and succeed him established Edwards among the religious elite. The ongoing support of Colonel John Stoddard and the Williams family helped make his ministry secure both ministerially and financially. That is, until changed his standards concerning who might be a communicant member of the church.

Marsden traces the tension throughout Edwards ministry between his father’s ideas and those of Solomon Stoddard on communicant membership. His father believed it necessary for candidates for church membership to show evidences of spiritual conversion beyond mere profession of faith. Stoddard took a more relaxed stance, allowing those who professed faith to become members. He thought membership, the hearing of preaching, and communion could draw people into a deeper relationship with Christ. And when Edwards came to Northampton, this was the position he adopted, opposing his father. Marsden traces how Edwards eventually adopted his father’s stance, and how the Stoddard and Williams clans turned on him, spelling the end of his Northampton ministry.

Before that, however, came the revivals. Marsden traces the history of the local awakenings of the 1730’s, culminating in the Great Awakening of 1740-42, both locally in Northampton and on both sides of the Atlantic. He discusses the strategic partnership of Edwards and George Whitefield. And he covers Edwards role in defending the revivals against Old Light critics while addressing excesses. We learn of his efforts to extend and deepen those revivals into ongoing holiness, including the failed “solemn covenant.”

As significant as his pastorate was, perhaps Edwards’ writing was his major contribution. Not only did he write several accounts of revivals but he also addressed genuine versus counterfeit spirituality in Religious Affections. Coming out of a Reformed tradition, he was active in countering the rise of Arminianism. Particularly, this was so in The Freedom of the Will. Toward the end of his life, he worked on more extensive theological works. This included, A History of the Work of Redemption including a View of Church History. A feature of this biography is the in-depth summaries of Edwards’ works as well as the context in which they were written.

One of the other influential works of Edwards was his The Life of David Brainerd. The Edwards family supported Brainerd’s efforts in mission work among indigenous peoples. And when he succumbed to tuberculosis, Edwards’ daughter Jerusha nursed him, and was a companion on good days. She followed him in death four months later. Brainerd left journals describing his spiritual life, calling, and ministry. Edwards edited and published these, which became a classic mission work which I read in early adulthood.

Jonathan Edwards was a slave owner. Marsden documents this as well as Edwards’ defense of slavery. This does not occupy a major part of the book. However, it shows Edwards as a man of his time. The biography also discusses Edwards ministry among indigenous people in Stockbridge after leaving Northampton, his efforts to launch a school for their children, as well as the challenges of the war with France and opposition from powerful local elements. Marsden discusses the growing awareness of Edwards and others of how indigenous missions could be manipulated for colonial control.

Marsden’s biography provides a highly readable narrative while describing Edwards’ intellectual life. We also glimpse a pastor deeply concerned for the spiritual life and growth in holiness of his people. He understood human nature, although at times dealt clumsily with situations like the youth who were reading sexual material. He had a strong marriage, an able partner in Sarah, as well as godly children. Marsden weaves accounts of the family life into the narrative throughout. I would recommend this as the “go-to” work on Edwards.

The Weekly Wrap: September 20-26

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The Weekly Wrap: September 20-26

Withdrawn From Publication

There is a first time for everything. One of the things I do with each review I write is link to the publisher’s description of the book. As I was setting up one of my reviews this week, I discovered the book was nowhere to be found on the publisher’s website. Wondering if it was a glitch, I searched the author’s name. Nada. So that was perplexing. The publisher had sent me a finished copy of the book, published in June, for review.

I found the book at commercial sites, I’d already read it, so I wrote the review. Before I began, I wrote the publicist for the book, noting when the review would go “live.” I heard nothing and so scheduled the review. The review went up the next morning and generated moderate interest. Then I heard back from the publicist. It turns out the publisher withdrew the book from publication. I received a basic explanation, but not specifics. So because of the lack of specifics and because I only had the publisher’s reasons and not an author response, I won’t say more than that.

But what do I do with the review? I decided to leave it up. You can’t really delete things from the internet and a number had already viewed it. And since the book dropped in June, I assume a number have read the book. But I also decided to add this note at the top of the review:

Editor’s Note (Date): This book has been pulled from publication by the publisher. The review, posted before this became known, remains for archival purposes.

I also raised the issue with the publicist of notifying those who have received review copies of the withdrawal of the book. Had I known this prior to reading/reviewing, I would have tossed the book. For this particular book, I’d invested about six hours in reading and reviewing it that I can’t get back. Longer books take even more time.

I also made a decision that I would I would check the publication status of new books proactively. If I can’t locate publication information with the publisher, I’d hold off, pending confirmation of the book’s status.

This was a rare occurrence for the publisher. And it’s the first time in over 2000 reviews that I ran into this problem. Hopefully, it will remain rare. But I wonder with the increased use of AI and the increasing temptation to cut corners…. But I have a better handle on how I’ll handle this as a reviewer.

Five Articles Worth Reading

I’ve written on AI a number of times. I don’t believe it belongs in publishing. I’ve been concerned about the shortcuts to real thinking by humans, the elimination of large numbers of jobs, and the huge sums of money connected to the tech industry. And I continue to be concerned about the energy, water, and land use involved in data centers. What I should have thought about is idolatry. “The Deep Spiritual History of AI” explores the chilling spiritual dimension of AI. Consider this pull quote from the article:

“Transcendence, liberation, immortality, singularity, the uploading of consciousness—these are religious structures that organize how the field talks about itself.”

Since the death of Annie Dillard, I’ve seen a number of articles about her life and work. “The Enduring Mystery of Annie Dillard” asks the intriguing question of why she left so much of her personal life out of her writing. For example, did you know that when she was spending time in the Roanoke Valley, she was living with her first husband?

Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections published eleven days before 9/11. It seems he sensed what was coming when he wrote in the second sentence “You could feel it: something terrible was going to happen.” In “The Last Great American Novel” Ed Simon considers what has happened to “The Great American Novel” in the twenty-five years since 9/11.

“T. S. Eliot and the Holy Grail” made me want to go back to Eliot’s “The Wasteland” to see if I could find the Fisher King of Arthurian legend in Eliot’s poem. I don’t remember that from college lit class.

I’m an Agatha Christie fan. But I’ve read most of what she wrote. Sadie Stein has me covered in “Love Agatha Christie? Read These Books Next.”

Quote of the Week

Kristin Hannah was born on September 25, 1960. She imparted this piece of wisdom:

“We can’t live other people’s lives for them. Even if we love them.”

Wise advice for couples, parents, and those who care for any community of people.

Miscellaneous Musings

The reason I link to publishers websites is to avoid directing people to a particular bookseller, including that big online seller. I realize I could make a token amount of money if I became an “associate.” But I support local booksellers including indie sellers. This seems the best way I can allow others to make their own book buying decisions.

The Cleveland Guardians just clinched their Division title and are in the playoffs. Maybe that explains the recent traffic to my review of Our Team by Luke Epplin, an account of the 1948 World Series Champion Indians, the last time this franchise won the World Series. Who knows…this could be the year.

I think I read mysteries to balance some of the dense theology books I read. Right now, I am delighting in J. Warren Smith’s Early Christian Theology. Dense but clear and delightful history of how the early church wrestled to understand things like the Trinity and the Incarnation. Richard Osman’s The Last Devil to Die is number four in the Thursday Murder Club mysteries–great good fun!

Next Week’s Reviews

Monday: George M. Marsden, Jonathan Edwards: A Life

Tuesday: Marilyn McIntyre, Start with a Word

Wednesday: Fritz Leiber, The Night of the Long Knives

Thursday: The Month in Review: September 2026

Friday: John Searle, The Rediscovery of the Mind

So, that’s The Weekly Wrap for September 20-26.

Find past editions of The Weekly Wrap under The Weekly Wrap heading on this page.

Review: What if Jesus is Right?

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Cover image of "What if Jesus is Right?" by Douglas Groothuis and Lindsey Medenwaldt

What if Jesus is Right?

What if Jesus is Right?, Douglas Groothuis and Lindsey Medenwalt. Tyndale | Elevate (ISBN: 9798400501487) 2026.

Summary Beyond the influence of Jesus, looks at what he actually said and what it would mean for us if it is true.

The recent interest in The Chosen series shows that, no matter what people think about Christianity or the church, they are fascinated by Jesus. Veteran apologist Douglas Groothuis, joined by one of his former students, Lindsey Medenwalt, would agree and contend that he is worth listening to today. Not only that, they argue in this book that what Jesus says is true and can be trusted.

But before they make their case, they engage in some ground-clearing. They maintain that along with true presentations of Jesus there are “fake Jesuses” and those who make false claims about him. First, some will say he is only a great teacher. Yet, if what Jesus says about himself is false, either he is a liar (and not good) or a lunatic (self-deceived). Neither is good. Only if he is Lord is he also truly a good teacher.

Second, they challenge the idea that he was radically inclusive. Yes, he ate with sinners, but called them out of their sin to live transformed lives. While the writers affirm LGBTQ+ persons, they do not affirm same sex intimacy, on biblical grounds. Finally, they take on the health and prosperity Jesus. They show that trusting Jesus offers no guarantees of either but the presence of Christ even in life’s hardest moments (a testimony to which Groothuis offers in an epilogue about the untimely death of his first wife, Becky).

The second part of the book turns to the positive claims of Jesus. But first they urge the reader to examine the biblical accounts of Jesus for themselves. They offer helps for reading and believe that this is the best way to determine that Jesus is trustworthy. Then they consider four sets of Jesus’ claims. First, there are the “I am” statements, language identifying Jesus with the “I am” God. Second, there is the claim that in him, God’s kingdom is at hand. The Sermon on the Mount, with its high standards, outlines life in that kingdom. Third, Jesus claims the authority to forgive sins. Not only is this audacious, but Jesus asserts that through him, life may begin anew for those who trust him. Lastly, Jesus to know the future, including predicting the fall of Jerusalem.

Groothuis and Medenwalt conclude their case by discussing the evidence for the resurrection, and hence life in his name. They also consider the evidence not only for the deity of Christ but that he, himself, taught this. All this leads up to asking the reader personally to decide, “is Jesus right?” They address points of possible resistance and how one may respond when they are ready to follow Jesus.

The book can be helpful not only for Christians who want to articulate the case for Christ but also for those seriously seeking. Each chapter offers questions for reflection as well as additional resources. Perhaps the best thing would be to read and discuss the book together with a seeking friend. Because the book challenges what the authors call “fake Jesuses” some may put it down. However, this is consistent with the idea that we must meet Jesus on his terms, for who he is, and not who we’d want him to be. That’s what it means for Jesus to be “right.”

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: Northanger Abbey

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Cover image of "Northanger Abbey" by Jane Austen

Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen. Penguin Classics (ISBN: 9780141439792) 2003, first published 1817.

Summary: Catherine Moreland, in her first social season, avoids the attentions of one man and visits the family home of another.

Catherine Moreland was a clergyman’s daughter and one of ten children. A former tomboy, she has turned into an attractive seventeen-year old woman. She also loves to read Gothic novels. Family friends, the Allens invite her to join them for the summer social season at Bath. It is a round of balls, dances, and social gatherings. All of it fascinates her, but she and the Allens do not know anyone. Then they meet the Thorps.

Daughter Isabella and Catherine soon become fast friends, introducing her to The Mysteries of Udolpho. It’s all Catherine can talk about. But it all gets complicated when Catherine’s brother James and Isabella’s brother John join them. They are friends at Oxford. Isabella and James fall in love and get engaged, only to learn they will have to wait two years to marry when James receives a living worth £400. Meanwhile, John directs his attentions to Catherine but she does not return them.

Instead, Catherine likes Henry Tilney, a young clergyman with a benefice that is part of his father’s estate. Like so many Austen novels, she hope to run into Henry and deepen the acquaintance, with John doing his best to distract her. Finally, things look up when Henry’s father meets her and extends an invitation to visit the family at Northanger Abbey. Perhaps it’s just as well, because Isabella has begun flirting with Henry’s brother, leading to a breakup of the engagement.

Aside from Gothic fantasies about the old abbey, things go well. Catherine gets on well with Eleanor, Henry’s younger sister, and her somewhat eccentric father. Then there is a sudden turn. While Henry is away Catherine is suddenly sent back to her parents while the Tilneys leave on an unannounced visit to friends. Clearly, she has done something to arouse the ire of Henry’s father. But she hasn’t a clue. She has to go on a 70 mile journey without an escort and even has to borrow money to get home. A sad homecoming indeed. It doesn’t end here and you might be able to guess from other Jane Austen stories how it does. But you won’t hear it from me.

The novel has an interesting history. While published posthumously at the end of 1817, along with Persuasion, Austen completed a draft of the novel in 1799. Austen may have begun writing it as early as 1794. She also may have worked on revisions at the end of her life. This may account for the disjunct between the Bath portion of the novel and the Northanger Abbey portion. It feels like two stories stitched together. Also, there is this weird thing with multiple loves between three families, the Morelands, Thorps, and Tilneys. It sounds kind of in-bred.

Like other Austen novels money as well as love seems to dictate the affairs of love. And like so many, those who focus on money often end up surprised to find out the value of character. Finally, Northanger Abbey, with its wardrobes, closed off wings, and valley setting creates the perfect setting to spook Gothic-fascinated Catherine. I wonder if Austen was having fun spoofing the Gothics!

Review: The Strain of Other Blood

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Cover image of "The Strain of Other Blood" by Patricia Allen

The Strain of Other Blood

The Strain of Other Blood, Patricia Allen. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (ISBN: 9780802883544) 2026.

Editor’s Note 9/23/2026: This book has been pulled from publication by the publisher. The review, posted before this became known, remains for archival purposes.

Summary: Ruth Elaine Younger: excluded because of race from Episcopal order in the US later returns to establish an order.

“We don’t have nuns” intoned the Episcopalian guide. And yet they do. This is the biography of a strong-minded and -willed woman who founded an order of Episcopal nuns in New York City that continues to this day. She broke racial boundaries and yet often kept her race a secret. She cultivated relationships with the rich and famous including Madeleine L’Engle yet struggled with conflict with parents, board members and other sisters.

Ruth Elaine Younger grew up in an impoverished Harlem light-skinned Black family. She felt a call to an Episcopal religious order but was rejected because of “the strain of other blood.” Rejected in the United States, she was admitted as a postulant of the Sisters of St. John the Divine in Toronto. After early years of teaching on the Canadian prairie, she campaigned to establish the order in an urban U.S. setting, often running afoul of her superiors. Eventually, this led to her separation from the order.

Back in the U.S., she cultivated the support of Canon West and Bishop Donegan to form the Community of the Holy Spirit, setting up a convent at 621 W. 113th Street in New York, with a school nearby. The school quickly became known for its multi-racial staff and academic excellence. It drew families attracted to the high standards. But there were also challenges to Mother Ruth’s handling of finances and leadership of the school.

Beyond this, while those on the inside knew Mother Ruth was Black, this was often kept quiet. Mother Ruth used facial powder to further lighten her skin. She fought her family, who threatened to expose her identity. Patricia Allen teases out these conflicting strains in her biography. Also, Allen describes a woman who could sensitively recruit postulants but could be demanding and controlling. Finally, she traces Mother Ruth’s last years as she sought to hold onto control while declining in her effectiveness.

The portrait Allen gives us is of a determined Black woman whose persistence brought an order to life. Yet her strengths also were her weaknesses and one senses that most people feared and respected her more than loved her. One wonders if that’s just what it took to cross the boundaries she crossed. One also wonders at the psychic toll of “passing” as white. Patricia Allen has given us a biography of both a singular religious leader, and a complicated woman.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: Lightning Strike

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Cover image of "Lightning Strike" by William Kent Krueger

Lightning Strike

Lightning Strike (Cork O’Connor, 18) William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (ISBN: 9781982128692) 2022.

Summary: In this prequel, Cork as a twelve year old finds a body hanging in a tree but his father is not convinced it was suicide.

Twelve-year-old Cork O’Connor and his friend Jorge are exploring an abandoned logging camp called Lightning Strike. It is a sacred place for the Ojibwe. But what the boys find this day is death. A body is hanging from a tree. They recognize it as Big John Manydeeds. They also think they see a spirit in the trees, a scary apparition. The boys report what they’ve seen to Cork’s father, Liam O’Connor, who in 1963 is sheriff of Aurora.

On the face of things, it looks like Big John had committed suicide. There were empty bottles of Four Roses whiskey nearby. Big John was an alcoholic, although he had reformed and stayed sober in recent years. There was alcohol in his blood. Liam found more empties at his cabin, although they didn’t have any fingerprints. Some things weren’t adding up, and Liam has to face the possibility that it was a murder.

Two suspects emerge. One is Duncan MacDermid, one of the richest men in the area. It turns out his wife was having an affair with Big John. But would the law dare to go against the most powerful man in the county? The other suspect was his brother Oscar. When Big John had been drinking they fought frequently. And when subsequent toxicology shows a barbiturate in Big John’s blood that Oscar used with his animals, focus intensifies on him.

But accusing one of The People threatens to divide the White and Indigenous parts of the town. And this division runs through Liam’s own family. His mother-in-law Dilsey is Anishinaabe and his wife is half Anishinaabe. As much as they love and respect Liam, they fear another in the string of betrayals Indigenous peoples experienced from broken promises and displacements to the horrors of boarding schools. However, Liam is determined to follow the evidence. But he is challenged to listen to his heart as well as his head.

To complicate things, a young runaway Indigenous girl has gone missing. Liam and his department have to investigate this as well. Eventually, her body is found floating in a nearby lake with signs of violence on her body. Two murders.

Meanwhile, Cork believes he has a part to play. He saw what he believed the spirit of Big John, unable to walk the Path of Souls. He wonders what part he has to play. Henry Meloux, the mide, can only cryptically encourage him to “follow the crumbs.” And so he and his friends do. They eventually find Big John’s missing canoe, smashed up. And they locate where the young girl died. But this will put them in danger in the page-turning climax.

As a prequel, the book reveals how Cork begins to discover his own calling, one which in many respects follows his father. Readers of the series know Cork’s father died in a bank robbery when he saved an old woman wandering into the line of fire. An epilogue recounts those events. And Sam Winter Moon, a family friend tells Cork that his father was ogichidaa, one who stands between evil and his people. And he tells Cork he believes that Cork was also born ogichidaa. Cork has a long path to traverse before embracing that identity. But we see the first steps here.